Spain wins 2026 World Cup amid on-and-off-field headlines

Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the tournament drew as much attention for incidents beyond the pitch as for the football itself. A dispute between the Egyptian delegation and U.S. police at a Dallas hotel ended after Egypt team director Ibrahim Hassan intervened and the Dallas police issued an apology. Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Fozinho broke down in tears after a draw with Spain, speaking of his mother, who had been unable to attend because of a visa issue. She later reached the United States and watched her son's historic tournament from the stands. The red card given to United States forward Fogarín Balogun during the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina was overturned, a decision that later drew criticism after the U.S. was eliminated by Belgium in a heavy defeat; Balogun acknowledged the ruling added pressure on the squad. Argentina, beaten by Spain on a goal in extra time in the final, saw Lionel Messi, 39, bow out of the World Cup in an emotional farewell. Norwegian fans celebrated with chants inspired by Viking heritage, while Scottish supporters marked their national team's return to the tournament after 28 years. In the England–Norway quarterfinal, a goal credited after the sensor-equipped ball changed direction prompted protests from Norwegian players; FIFA said its sensor did not detect an infringement, and Norway's coach said he would continue to challenge the call. At a Morocco news conference, a clash between two Moroccan journalists left national team player Ibrahim Diaz visibly surprised, before coach Mohammed Wahbi eased the mood with a joke about the pair separating "as if at school."